We all know that the combination of experience and seniority does not necessarily make for a good leader, and yet, while this might not be such a widely acknowledged notion, we must remember that a person is not able to become a good leader without it. Recognition is one of the fundamental characteristics of power, as is the ability to communicate effectively. The third component of the “power triangle", according to Robert Dilenschneider, is the ability to exert influence, a factor that merits further exploration, if you truly want to understand what leadership is.
Hitler, Jesus, Osama Bin Laden, Churchill, and Kennedy - all of these influential figures were, unquestionably, true leaders, mainly for their ability to communicate their ideas, and attract followers - and the list does not end there! Tim Elmore, founder of Growing Leaders, argues that even the most introverted person can influence thousands of people over the course of their life. This means that any one of us can be a leader, even if we don't know it yet. Often, we do not stop to think about how much we affect the lives of others, because the dynamics of leadership are fluid.
Take the example of a child preparing to go to school: at home, the mother is the dominant influence, who "imposes" behaviour and actions on the child, perhaps deciding how they dress and what they have for breakfast. Then, when they meet their friends on the school bus, it could be one of them, or that child themself, who takes command of the group, and thus assumes the role of leader. Once in the classroom, the baton of command automatically passes to the teacher. So, in every circumstance, even the simplest, the question you need to be asking is: who is the person influencing the group’s behaviour? Who is everyone looking to for answers on what they should be doing?
